Tigers (34-35) at Pirates (36-32)
7:05 PM EST–PNC Park, Pittsburgh
TV: ROOT Sports
The Bucs take on the Tigers this weekend in round two of their interleague matchup (Detroit took 2 of 3 at Comerica Park a few weeks ago). This will be the final interleague series of the season; the Bucs are 8-7 against AL opponents this year.
Detroit is still somehow sitting under .500, which has to be very disappointing for a team with so much talent. Still, they’re right in the hunt in a weak AL Central, just 2.5 games behind first-place Cleveland. Despite the Tigers’ subpar play this season, I expect this to be a very difficult series for the Bucs…especially considering the pitching matchups tomorrow and Sunday. The good news is that PNC should be packed all weekend.
The tall and lanky Fister hasn’t pitched much this season due to injuries, but he’s been good when healthy. In his last start (which was his first in a while), he posted six shutout innings against the Rockies.
Burnett will be going for his seventh win in as many starts, which would be pretty ridiculous. One of those wins was at Detroit (6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs). The Bucs need him to be good tonight with the two weak links of the rotation slated for the rest of the weekend (against Detroit’s fireballers).
Pirates vs. Fister:
Tigers vs. Burnett: